Grain Size Analysis Standards: ASTM, ISO, GB/T

Introduction to Standards

The Grain Size Analysis module supports the following standards:

Standard	Description
ASTM E 112-13 ASTM E 112 - 24	Refers to the following methods: Planimetric Intercept Comparison (Plate I - IV) Standard test methods for determining average grain size. This standard provides methods for estimating and rules for specifying the average grain size of all metals consisting wholly or essentially of a single phase. You can measure the grain size of samples consisting of two phases or a phase and a constituent by a combination of two methods: by measuring the volume fraction of the phase and by intercept or planimetric counting. You can also use the test methods for any microstructures that have a similar appearance to the metallic microstructures shown in the comparison tables.
ASTM E1382 - 97 (2015)	Refers to the following methods: Planimetric Intercept This standard covers methods for determining the average grain size and the distribution of grain section lengths or grain areas for polycrystalline metals and non-metallic materials. These can have the following properties: equiaxed or deformed grain shape uniform or double grain size distribution single or multi phase grain structures The measurements you carry out with semi-automatic digitized tablet image analyzers or automatic image analyzers. These devices enable you to acquire a large amount of data and extensive samples, which lead to a better statistical definition of the grain size than with manual methods.
DIN EN ISO 643:2020 DIN EN ISO 643:2024	Refers to the following methods: Planimetric Intercept Comparison This standard covers steel-micro photographic determination of recognizable grain size. This standard specifies micro graphic methods of determining apparent ferritic or austenitic grain size in steels. It describes the methods of revealing grain boundaries and of estimating the mean grain size of specimens with unimodal size distribution. Although grains are three-dimensional in shape, the metallographic sectioning plane can cut through a grain at any point from a grain corner, to the maximum diameter of the grain, thus producing a range of apparent grain sizes on the two-dimensional plane, even in a sample with a perfectly consistent grain size.
GB/T 6394 - 2017	Refers to the following methods: Planimetric Intercept Comparison (Plate I - IV) This standard specifies the expression and determination methods of the average grain size of metal structure; it is applicable to the single-phase structure; however, after being specified, it is also applicable to the determination of the average grain size of the certain type in the multi-phase or multi-component sample. If the histomorphology of the non-metallic material is similar to the metal structure in the rating chart, it may also make reference to it. This standard uses the grain area, diameter or intercept length of the unimodal distribution (similar to the lognormal distribution) to determine the average grain size of the sample, AND it is not applicable to the grain size of the bimodal distribution.

Standard

Description

ASTM E 112-13

ASTM E 112 - 24

Refers to the following methods:

Planimetric
Intercept
Comparison (Plate I - IV)

Standard test methods for determining average grain size.

This standard provides methods for estimating and rules for specifying the average grain size of all metals consisting wholly or essentially of a single phase. You can measure the grain size of samples consisting of two phases or a phase and a constituent by a combination of two methods: by measuring the volume fraction of the phase and by intercept or planimetric counting. You can also use the test methods for any microstructures that have a similar appearance to the metallic microstructures shown in the comparison tables.

ASTM E1382 - 97 (2015)

Refers to the following methods:

Planimetric
Intercept

This standard covers methods for determining the average grain size and the distribution of grain section lengths or grain areas for polycrystalline metals and non-metallic materials. These can have the following properties:

equiaxed or deformed grain shape
uniform or double grain size distribution
single or multi phase grain structures

The measurements you carry out with semi-automatic digitized tablet image analyzers or automatic image analyzers. These devices enable you to acquire a large amount of data and extensive samples, which lead to a better statistical definition of the grain size than with manual methods.

DIN EN ISO 643:2020

DIN EN ISO 643:2024

Refers to the following methods:

Planimetric
Intercept
Comparison

This standard covers steel-micro photographic determination of recognizable grain size.

This standard specifies micro graphic methods of determining apparent ferritic or austenitic grain size in steels. It describes the methods of revealing grain boundaries and of estimating the mean grain size of specimens with unimodal size distribution. Although grains are three-dimensional in shape, the metallographic sectioning plane can cut through a grain at any point from a grain corner, to the maximum diameter of the grain, thus producing a range of apparent grain sizes on the two-dimensional plane, even in a sample with a perfectly consistent grain size.

GB/T 6394 - 2017

Refers to the following methods:

Planimetric
Intercept
Comparison (Plate I - IV)

This standard specifies the expression and determination methods of the average grain size of metal structure; it is applicable to the single-phase structure; however, after being specified, it is also applicable to the determination of the average grain size of the certain type in the multi-phase or multi-component sample. If the histomorphology of the non-metallic material is similar to the metal structure in the rating chart, it may also make reference to it.

This standard uses the grain area, diameter or intercept length of the unimodal distribution (similar to the lognormal distribution) to determine the average grain size of the sample, AND it is not applicable to the grain size of the bimodal distribution.